AFTER a two-hour journey from West Wales to Cardiff on a wet and wintry night, we were hoping Birmingham Royal Ballet would deliver the goods with their production of Swan Lake. They certainly did.

The sombre opening, featuring a funeral procession, was soon replaced by a more uplifting scene as the young Prince Sigfried (Iain Mackay) was comforted and entertained by his friends.

From the very beginning, we were shown why this company is held in such high regard.

Benno (Mathias Dingman) demonstrated his flair and athletic ability to great effect with many energetic leaps. The costumes of the courtiers were rich and flowing, giving a hint of the splendours to come. The entrance of the Queen (Marion Tait) was understated but powerful and both she and her entourage were also wearing some magnificent outfits.

During the second act, we were introduced to the beautiful swan (Jenna Roberts). Her dancing was a revelation as she perfectly interpreted the glorious bird. She floated across the stage with the most amazing arm movements. Graceful elegant, shy and poignant – she personified all these things throughout the entire performance. She and the Prince moved together as one, complementing each other in a beautiful, flowing routine.

There was strong support from the cast of cygnets and the wicked Baron Von Rothbart (Jonathan Payn) was suitably – but subtly – menacing.

After the interval, the stage burst into colour as the Prince was forced to choose a wife. The entrance of each prospective bride with her entourage was dramatic and entertaining.

The dancing really came into its own during the final act, which saw us going through a roller coaster of emotions – from the sadness of the swan and her attempts to escape the clutches of the evil Baron to the efforts of the Prince to protect her and the fluttering of the cygnets trying to hide the luckless pair.

As well as the skilful dancing and glorious costumes, the setting, which was adapted throughout to represent exterior and interior scenes, helped make this a stand out production. And, of course, let’s not forget the wonderful score from Tchaikovsky which was performed with emotion by the orchestra under the baton of Koen Kessels.